1. |
Edward
02:59
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What's that blood all on your shirt
Son, come tell to me?
It is the blood of my own greyhound
He wouldn't run with me, with me
He wouldn't run with me
But it's too red for your greyhound's blood
Son, come tell to me
It is the blood of my own gray mare
She wouldn't hunt with me, with me
But it's too pale for your gray mare's blood
Son, come tell to me
It is the blood of my own dear brother
He wouldn't ride with me, with me
And what were you two a-quarreling about
Son, come tell to me?
It's all about a little holly bush
And it might've made a tree, a tree
And what will you do when your father comes to know
Son, come tell to me?
I'll sail away in a little sailing boat
And I'll sail across the sea, the sea
And what will you do with your pretty little wife
Son, come tell to me?
She'll come along in my little sailing boat
And she'll sail along with me, with me
And what will you do with your eldest son
Son, come tell to me?
I'll leave him here for you to raise
And to rock all on your knee, your knee
And when will you come back again
Son, come tell to me?
When the sun and the moon are on yonder hill
And I know that will never be, never be
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2. |
Thornaby Woods
04:09
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In Thornaby Woods in Nottinghamshire
Right fa-la-la, right fal day
In Thornaby Woods in Nottinghamshire
Right fal-the-lar-a-lay
Three keepers houses they stood three square
About a mile from each other they were
Their orders was to look out for the deer
Right fal-the-lar-a-lay
Well me and me dogs we went out one night
The moon and stars all shining bright
Over hedges, ditches, fields and stiles
With my three dogs all at my heels
To catch a buck in the Thornaby fields
That very first night we had bad luck
For one of me very best dogs got shot
He come to me so bloody and lame
How sorry was I for to see the same
Him not being able to follow the game
Looked at his wounds and I found them slight
Done by some keeper out of spite
I'll take my pike staff in my hand
And I'll search the woods 'til I find that man
Tan his old hide right well I can
Then I went home and I went to bed
And Limping Jack went in me stead
He searched the woods all round and round
Till he found a buck lying on the ground
My little dog gave the death wound
We found a butcher to skin the game
Likewise another to sell the same
The very first joint that we made for sale
It was to some woman who sold bad ale
She had us off to the Nottingham Gaol
Now Nottingham assizes are drawing nigh
And us three chaps have got to be tried
Oh the gentlemen laughed them all to scorn
That such an old bugger should be foresworn
All into small pieces she should've been torn
Now Nottingham assizes are over and past
And us three chaps we got free at last
Now the bucks and does shall ne'er go free
For a-poaching is the life for me
And a poacher I will always be
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3. |
Alexander
02:54
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Oh, it’s don’t you know the reason, love, this night that I am here?
It is in order to obtain the love of you, my dear.
Your sweet celestial charms have wounded quite my brain,
Your skin is whiter than the swan swims o’er yon purling stream.
You are tall, genteel and handsome, you are modest, mild and free
And as the lodestone varies you draw the heart from me.
The reason my love scorns me it is because I'm poor
But I have all that I'm allowed I cannot ask for more.
She thinks she’s of a noble birth, me of a mean degree,
But I am come from Adam’s race, my dear, as well as thee.
Don’t fix your mind on riches, love, nor such yon worldly store
But think on Alexander and you’ll love me all the more.
For when he'd conquered all the world he sat down and wept full sore
For there was just but the one world and he could gain no more.
I will travel to Mount Hareb where Noah’s ark does stand,
Likewise to Mount Albareen wall for to view the land.
I never will quit roving as long as I've a shoe
And like some wounded lover, my dear, I'll mourn the loss of you.
To his sorrowful lamentations, to her true love she gave ear,
She took him in her arms and embraced him as her dear.
And now they have got married, the truth I will unfold
Her father has bestowed on them 500 pounds in gold.
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4. |
Farewell to Fogo
04:08
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CH: Farewell, farewell, green shores of Fogo
And farewell, Katie, true and kind
Where'er I go, I'll be true to you
When old Fogo I leave behind
Our ship she leaves the morning early
Cross the ocean for to go
And Katie so full of sorrow
It's more than I want you to know
For many years I've worked this land
Underneath the cold, dark sky
Now every breeze blowing from the hillside
Is asking me the question "Why?"
Now Katie, leave off of your grieving
Don't be downhearted 'cause of me
It's my fortune that I'm seeking
In that land across the sea
Sometimes she changes just like the weather
Sometimes we never can agree
Sometimes laughter and sometimes sadness
She's a mystery to me
Oh this world it's so uncertain
What can happen we do not know
Perhaps someday I will return here
If that's the way the wind does blow
There's a cloud of sorrow hanging o'er me
And there's a weight upon my mind
But I know someone loves me truly
In old Fogo I leave behind
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5. |
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You single men I pray
Come listen to me lay
And I'll tell to you the truth if I can
And you bide what do I say
If attention that you pay
A woman is the plague upon the man
When for breakfast you arrive
Light the fire you must strive
And wash every pot and every pan
How I wish that I was dead
Since the day that I was wed
A woman is the plague upon the man
CH: Oh the poor man's toil is never done
For to keep his family decent if he can
But when you take a wife
You wed yourself to strife
A woman is the torment of a man
But only see them when they're young
For they speak with angel's tongues
To trap you they will try all they can
And once the wedding's past
Why, that's when they have you fast
A woman is the heartbreak of a man
For to a neighbor's house she'll roam
And never stay at home
Clashing and back-biting is her plan
Thus tortured is the man
Who would join in wedlock's band
A woman is the heart of a man
CH
And if you chance to speak
Why your head she'll surely break
With the first thing that she gets into her hand
With a beedle or a ladle
She'll club you ere she's able
And this is the comfort of a man
And for drink I do declare
She will strip the house quite bare
Blankets, sheets, pots and kettle she will pawn
And morning, noon and night
She will rage and scold and fight
And this is the comfort of a man
CH
Well I think that it is time
To conclude my little rhyme
And women, I would have you understand
There is nothing through your life
Like a kind and gentle wife
To provide for the comfort of a man
So let's be kind unto our wives
And lead contented lives
And strive to keep them happy
Through our life
For I'd have you understand
That happy is the man
That's blessed with a decent sober wife
CH
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6. |
Broughty Walls
04:21
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Burd Helen was her mother's dear
And her father's heir all for to be
And he was laird of the Broughty Walls
And the provost of Dundee
Burd Helen she was much admired
By all the men both far and near
But it was Glenhazlen who did vow
He alone would be her dear
Glenhazlen he was a comely youth
He was so handsome, brisk and gay
But jealous thoughts come unto his mind
He vowed he'd steal poor Helen away
It fell upon one Christmas Day
Burd Helen she was left alone
All for to guard her father's towers
They stood two miles all from the town
Glenhazlen he's to the Broughty Walls
He was thinking all to win in
But the wind it blew and the rain it fell
And it wet him to the skin
"Oh who is this?" cries Burd Helen
"Oh who does knock all at my door?"
"We are but travelers passing by
Let us in for the wind blows o'er."
Now he was very well entertained
Both for his bed and for his board
But he sent his men to Helen's room
Well armed they were with spear and sword
And they've hurried her along with them
They've locked up all her maids behind
They threw the key out o'er the wall
That none this plot might find
They've hurried her along with them
It's over many's the rock and glen
But all that they might say or do
From weeping she wouldn't refrain
"Oh the highland hills, they're high, high hills
Oh the highland hills, they are so high
And if you would my favor gain
Take me back to sweet Dundee!"
Well it fell upon one summer's day
When they all went out for to take the air
She's threw herself into the stream
Against wind and despair
Well it was so deep that he couldn't wade in
And ne'er the boat it was to be found
So he's leaped in all after her
And he sank down like a stone
She's kilted up her green clothing
Oh a little above her knee
And it's never rest nor was undressed
Until she reached again Dundee
"Oh this I've learned at the Broughty Walls
At Broughty Walls near sweet Dundee
That if water was my prison strong
I would swim for liberty"
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Sean T. Smith Boston, Massachusetts
Sean Smith has been playing folk music since his teens, with a focus on the traditions of Ireland, Scotland and England in particular. He's been active in the Greater Boston music scene since the early '80s, and been part of numerous collaborations. He also writes about music for BostonIrish.com, helps organize an annual Celtic music festival, and has been known to drink Ballantine Ale. ... more
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